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“Indian Landscape” Ca. 1971
Wayne Pushetona, Sac

 ANNUAL SUNRISE GATHERING ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND MONDAY OCTOBER 13th 2008

California: The annual Sun-Rise Gathering at Alcatraz Island will take place on October 13th, 2008. The Sunrise gathering reflects on 516 years of Indigenous Peoples Resistance to European Invasion. (1492-2008) This year's event is titled "Celebrating our Survival and Challenging the Myth of Columbus and 'Doctrine of Discovery.'"
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2007/11/alcatraz-island-sunrise-gathering.html

Love dilemma for Caribbean people

Dominica:  Chief Charles Williams of the Carib (Kalinago) has a drastic solution for protecting Kalinago heritage: tribal members should not marry non-Kalinago people.  "The impact of colonisation has been so strong on us that if we do not take steps to protect the race, it will be soon become extinct,"  Williams said. The Kalinago are an ancient Caribbean tribe famed for their skills in sailing and warfare.  They lived through the worst of colonisation, disease and slavery, and it's a minor miracle that any survived. Today, only 3,000 Kalinago remain on Dominica. Many elders and leaders support Chief Williams's views. "Well, for some people this is a ticklish issue," says Miranda Langlais who believes Kalinago women hold the key for survival. She also blames them in part for the tribe's woes. "You go out there, you see a nice white guy and you fall in love. [But] you have to stick to your people, you have to stick to your traditions, and that's the only way."  However many youth, like 17-year old Arnique Volmand, want to leave the poverty on the tribe's 3,700 acre territory. "They want us to stay here to marry our own tribe but I don't think that will happen," she said.  "They cannot tell us what to do. If we want to be pilots or nurses, we have to leave the island."  Some Kalinagos are trying to find a middle ground.  Minister for Carib Affairs Kelly Graneau describes himself as an internationalist. "The world is getting smaller and smaller, it's almost at our doorstep." Mr Graneau hopes Kalinago youth will  leave the Dominica to be educated, then return to Carib territory with   ideas, knowledge and sense of hope.  Other Kalinago are finding new ways to help their people.  21-year-old Che Fredrick holds his people's traditions dear.  He plans to market Kalinago herbal tea and medicinal plants.  "Our culture is very important. Basically I'm finding ways to create sustainable employment for the people of our community," he said. Che is not alone. He is one of many  society members there who are bright, educated and determined to return the Kalinago people and ancient culture to the world map.
photo: www.dominica.dm
Tradition_OF_The_Redroad] Digest Number 6691

Many Cherokee Following Ancient Traditions Of Balance And Harmony
Cherokee Reservation, North Carolina: While Isaac Welch's BIA card says he belongs to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, it's his hat that shows his spiritual  path. A small metal feather is pinned on the crown, and a black feather juts from the hatband beaded in a red, yellow and black coil that looks like a Scarlet King Snake. Those signs reveal Welch to be a warrior, a messenger and a man of peace.  "We are not a religious people, we are a spiritual people," said Welch, a full-blood tribal member and elder in the Yellow Star Society.  For the Cherokee and other tribes, worship is a daily way of life, not just on holidays or in special places.  "Everything we Cherokee do is religious.  We danced to balance the earth," said Raven Hail, a 79-year-old Cherokee from Oklahoma.

Thoughts from the Cherokee:
"The hardest thing for Native Americans is [to] unlearn Judeo-Christian English concepts and concrete terms." Isaac Welch,  Eastern Cherokee

 "Cherokee Spirituality is not just for the Cherokee, but for all the children of Mother Earth.  The mountains have not been asleep, but the people have been deaf, dumb and blind.  There is a reawakening of Cherokee spirituality." Raven Hail,  Western Cherokee

"Survival depended on the land -- you had to respect it.  But I think that's true of everybody's ancestors, whether Indian or Celtic.  We are all interconnected." Marijo Moore, Cherokee heritage

 "This was the first group I knew I was accepted in.  This is where I learned that the warrior is himself a spiritual person." Deane Killion, Cherokee, Yellow Star Society

"[The traditions] have to be passed down by word of mouth to keep them alive." Shim Welch, 14, Cherokee

"Everything on Earth is a mirror image of something in the sky," Raven Hail, Western Cherokee

  [Some non-Indians} "they think they can get this in a weekend, that doing a sweat will make you a shaman.  It's not something you can buy or become.  Having a dreamcatcher doesn't make you an Indian.  You're either born an Indian or you're not."  Marijo Moore, Cherokee heritage
Cherokee syllabary: www.native-languages.org/cherokee_alphabet.htm
http://www.ucan-online.org/legend.asp?legend=5153&category=9

Government of Canada Creates New Reserve in the NWT
Northwest Territories, Canada: Canada has created the Salt River First Nation Indian Reserve #195, the first NWT reserve granted in almost 35 years. “This is a historic day for the Salt River First Nation,” said Chief Frieda Martselos. “... It is a great day for the people of the Salt River First Nation and First Nations in general. A big 'thank-you' to those who negotiated the agreement and to all the people who made it a reality.” The agreement sets aside 430 square kilometres of reserve lands at numerous sites in and around Fort Smith,. In additional 13 square kilometres (five square miles) of reserve lands were set aside in Wood Buffalo National Park. The creation of the Salt River First Nation Indian Reserve fulfills part of a treaty agreement signed by the Salt River First Nation, the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories on June 22, 2002.
Salt River First Nation Indian Reserve #195: http://www.srfn195.com/
Photo: http://www.srfn195.com/
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/prs/s-d2008/2-3095-eng.asp

Native American Panel Loses Chairman
Vermont: The chairman of Vermont's Commission on Native American Affairs has resigned. Commission Chairman Mark Mitchell said he was frustrated by the Legislature's refusal to pass a law recognizing the state's three bands of Abenaki Indians. While the  bill passed the Senate, it was not considered by the House.
H-Amindian Listserve

Border Wall endangers Indigenous Peoples ceremonies and cultures

Yaqui Reservations, U.S. Mexico Border: Growing restrictions along the U.S./Mexican Border are interfering with the Yaqui tribe's ability to preserve their culture and ceremonies. Jose Matus says U.S. Yaqui ceremonies can only be maintained through Yaquis from Mexico who still use their language, knowledge, and traditions. Matus began his 35-year effort to maintain U.S  Yaqui ceremonies by bringing in ceremonial leaders from Sonora, Mexico. Until now, he and border officials worked together to establish Yaqui border policies.   But the fight against terrorism and illegal immigrants is making it more difficult. “Now, Homeland Security is getting very, very strict.  As time goes by, legislation changes and attitudes change ... That has affected all the [Yaquis]  who have relatives in Mexico.  Now [the restrictions] are destroying and dividing the Tewa and Kumeyaay ceremonial grounds,” he said, referring to the Tewa near El Paso, Texas, and the Kumeyaay in California and Mexico. “For national security reasons, we can not bring our elders across the border for ceremonies. We are all terrorists as far as they are concerned. They put us through all these obstacles as we try to cross that border." 
photo: indigenousbordersummitamericas2007.blogspot.com/
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

   IUPUI professor's reburial of Native American remains earns international award
Indiana:  Larry J. Zimmerman, a professor at Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis, has been awarded the international Peter J. Ucko Memorial Award.  Four Native American archaeologists nominated Zimmerman for "paving the way for a generation of Native Americans to believe we could join this profession without having to sacrifice our deeply help moral beliefs about our rights and responsibilities as Indigenous people" Zimmerman's early career decision to rebury Native American human remains was, at the time, considered academic suicide. Times have changed, and his early actions earned him the award for important contributions to archaeology.
  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/iu-ipr071708.php###

Exploring Native American Repatriation Act at UCSD Teach-in
California: On October 13, the University of California/San Diego will offer a panel discussion about NAGPRA (The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.) NAGPRA is a federal law passed in 1990.  It requires museums and Federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items, including human remains and sacred objects, to their tribes, descendents, and Native organizations.  Any remains found on federal land must be returned to their tribe or that with the closest cultural affiliation.
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2831&Itemid=2

Chief of Golden Hill Paugussett tribe dies
Paugussett Reservation, Connecticut: Aurelius H. Piper, Sr., hereditary chief of the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Tribe, has passed away on the tribe's reservation.  He was 92. Known as Big Eagle, Piper was named chief in 1959 by his mother, Chieftess Rising Star. He later took over residence and care of one of the tribe's two reservations -- a 1/4 acre reservation in Trumbull. Though small, the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe has been recognized by Connecticut for more than 300 years. In 2004, however, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs rejected the tribe's request for federal recognition.

The Asiatic Fathers of America
Washington, D.C.: Many years ago, the late Dr. Hendon M. Harris, Jr. made a startling discovery:  he found an ancient Asian map book from 2200 BC that included a world map showing land east of China. The land mass was labeled "Fu Sang."  Today that land mass is called "America."  After further research, dozens of supporting maps were discovered, and in 1973, Dr Harris published "The Asiatic Fathers of America."  Soon, however, Asiatic Fathers went out of print, and the map collection was stored under a bed.   In 2003, the Harris family took the maps to the Library of Congress.  Now, after studying the research, DNA evidence, and other studies, experts are beginning to support Dr. Harris's conclusion:   the Chinese came early, and they came by sea.  Harris, who was born in China to American parents, grew up speaking Chinese and English and was familiar with the Chinese  classics which, for many centuries, discussed Fu Sang in detail.  Today, most Chinese today believe Fu Sang was just myth, but the Chinese maps, classics, and similarities with  American Indians give new insights to this topic.
"The Asiatic Fathers of America" Read excerpts: http://www.asiaticfathers.com/speach.htm

japan Officially Recognizes Ainu  

Japan: In an historic breakthrough, Japan's Diet [legislature] has unanimously passed a resolution pressing the government  to recognize the Ainu as indigenous people.  "We are thrilled," said a tearful Tadashi Sato, director of the Ainu Cultural Centre in Hokkaido. "This is the first time the government has recognized us as indigenous people. We appreciate it."  The resolution asks Japan to officially recognize the Ainu as a people with a unique culture and language, and to create policies that address their problems.  If passed, it would also end Japan's false claims that it has no minorities and " therefore is not practicing discrimination," says Andrew Horvat, a professor at Tokyo Keizai University. "In fact, the treatment of the Ainu over the past 150 years by the Japanese majority is no different from the sad history of aboriginal  peoples in the U.S., Canada or Australia."  About 200,000 Ainu live throughout Japan. Most live on  the northernmost island of Hokkaido. According to a 2006 survey, the rate of Ainus living on welfare is more than three times the national average. The proportion of Ainu receiving higher education was 1/3 the national average.
Smithsonian's Ainu people online exhibit: http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/ainu/index.html
photo: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/
H-Amindian Listserve

 Find a forgotten past
Kenneth C. Davis is the author of a best-selling book,  "Don't Know Much About" series. An section called "hidden history" enlightens us to the past. Among his insights:

In the 1775 Revolutionary War battle on Breed's (Bunker) Hill, Dr. Joseph Warren fell was killed by a British musket ball. A promising colonial officer promised to provide for them. His name was Benedict Arnold

America's infancy was not a love fest between the Pilgrims and American Indians. Instead it was filled with problems and bloodshed, often leading to murder because neither believed in the other's theology. At times, the religious persecution topped what the colonists fled England to avoid

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In the 1500s, Spanish soldiers in Florida massacred French settlers because French were "infidel Lutherans." The French retaliated.
What the French probably were, Davis argues, is the real first pilgrims. The Mayflower batch didn't show up for decades.

In the 1700s, thousands of colonists and American Indians died in King Phillip's War. It began after flimsy evidence led to the  execution of three tribesmen accused of murdering John Sassamon. Sassamon was a Harvard University-educated "praying Indian."  

Was George Washington a war criminal?  In 1754, Washington was a young English officer in the Ohio Valley.  Half King, an important Seneca leader, persuaded Washington to attack a small French encampment.  The French defeated Washington but gave him a formal "parole. "  However, a Frenchman was soon killed. Some accused Half-King for the murder, but Washington signed a letter confessing to the crime. For the rest of his life, he swore he didn't understand what he had signed.
  http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/

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